4.3 The French Revolution - II

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• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.3 The French Revolution

What you will learn in 

this lesson

• how the French Revolution began.
  
• what political changes took place during the French Revolution.
  
• which national changes took place under Napoleon.
  
• In this paragraph you will learn how a large part of Europe came under French rule.
  

Discuss in pairs:

- Which person represents which estate?

- What is the message of this cartoon?

The French revolution - a timeline

Step 1:  Watch the video and read 4.3

Step 2: Write down the events that are mentioned in the text (and video)

Step 3: Create a timeline with only events

I. the reign of Louis XVI

- the causes and consequences of the Gathering of the States General

II. the reign of the National Assembly

- Their goals and how this effected France

III. the reign of Robespierre

- What happened? What changes did he make?

IV. The reign of Napoleon

- In what way was he an enlightened ruler? And in what way not?

The French revolution - a timeline

Step 1:  Watch the video and read 4.3

Step 2: Write down the events that are mentioned in the text (and video)

Step 3: Create a timeline in which you explain:

I. the reign of Louis XVI

- the causes and consequences of the Gathering of the States General

II. the reign of the National Assembly

- Their goals and how this effected France

III. the reign of Robespierre

- What happened? What changes did he make?

IV. The reign of Napoleon

- In what way was he an enlightened ruler? And in what way not?

important  people in this section

king Louis XVI (16th)

queen Marie Antoinette

Maximilian Robespierre

Napoleon Bonaparte

Who decided to call together the Sates General in 1778?

1. Louis XIV
2. Louis XV
3. Louis XVI
4. Louis XVII

first estate:         300 representatives

second estate:   300 representatives

third estate:       600 representatives

The gathering of the States General: How to vote?

Why was this special?
(to call together the States General)

1. This was not the task of the king
2. This hadn't happened in 174 years
3. This had never happened before
4. There was no States General in France

The French Revolution started at the 14th of July. How did it start?

1. King Louis XVI was beheaded
2. There was a second meeting of the States General
3. France was invaded by foreign revolutionary troops
4. The French stormed the Bastille (a prison in Paris)

The Tennis Court Oath - 1789

The clergy (1st estate) and the nobility (2nd estate) wanted to meet separately -> 3rd estate established a new meeting called the National Assembly. 

Several members of the nobility and clergy also decided to join.

They swore to only end the meeting after they had a written constitution that limited the king's power.

Their pledge is called the Tennis Court Oath.

The French revolution - a timeline

Step 1:  Read 4.3

Step 2: Write down the events that are mentioned in the text 

Step 3: Create a timeline in which you explain:

I. the reign of Louis XVI

- the causes and consequences of the Gathering of the States General

II. the reign of the National Assembly

- Their goals and how this effected France

III. the reign of Robespierre

- What happened? What changes did he make?

IV. The reign of Napoleon

- In what way was he an enlightened ruler? And in what way not?

Do you only have your online book? Do the exercises first!

Important dates for in your timeline:

1789: May:       King Louis XVI calls for a meeting of the Estates-General

         June:      Tennis Court Oath

         July 14:   Storming of the Bastille

1791:                National Assembly approved of a Constitution

                         -> France becomes a constitutional monarchy

1792: Feb:      War with Austria and Prussia ( who wanted to restore the absolute                                      monarchy in France)

          Sept:      end of the monarchy

                        reign of Terror - Robespierre

1793:  Jan 21  Louis XVI executed

1794:               Robespierre is beheaded

1799:               Napoleon Bonaparte takes the power with a coup d 'etat

1805-1812:      Napoleon conquers large areas in Europe

1812:               Napoleon is defeated in Russia ( and after that in Leipzig)

1815:               Napoleon loses the battle at Waterloo

Back to the explanation...

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Two weeks later, the National Assembly established the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. 

Its motto still resonates in France and all over the world: liberté (‘freedom’), egalité (‘equality’) and fraternité (‘brotherhood’). 

summarize

1. what were the main ideas of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
   
2. what is the link between this document, the American Revolution, and the Enlightenment?
   

The motto Egalité, Fraternité, liberté, first used by Maximilien Robespierre in 1790, in a symbolic drawing.

But  not everyone thought that the National Assembly's measures were sufficient...

The Reign of Terror

In 1792, the National Assembly officially ended the monarchy, which was replaced by the French Republic with a new government. This started a violent chapter in French history, known as the Reign of Terror. 

The leader of this movement was Maxime Robespierre.  Robespierre was a strong opponent of the French monarchy.

Robespierre also believed that everyone who did not agree with the ideals of the revolution should be executed. 

summarize

1. How did France become a Republic?
2. Who gained more influence in the National Assembly?
3. What were his ideas?
4. What were his supporters called?
5. What was the Reign of Terror?

Maxime Robespierre

Victims of the guillotine

The guillotine 

 During the Reign of Terror thousands of people lost their lives because of this machine. 

 It has been estimated that in total about 40,000 people were killed by the guillotine during the French Revolution.

Most of them were from the third estate

.

summarize

1. why was the guillotine used to kill people?
2. which 2 groups were mostly prosecuted?

The motto Egalité, Fraternité, liberté, first used by Maximilien Robespierre in 1790, in a symbolic drawing.

The French revolution - a timeline

Step 1:  Watch the video and read 4.3

Step 2: Write down the events that are mentioned in the text (and video)

Step 3: Create a timeline of:

I. the reign of Louis XVI

- the causes and consequences of the Gathering of the States General

II. the reign of the National Assembly

- Their goals and how this effected France

III. the reign of Robespierre

- What happened? What changes did he make?

IV. The reign of Napoleon

- In what way was he an enlightened ruler? And in what way not?

A new leader

Napoleon Bonaparte  was a general who returned to France in 1798 after a military conflict between France and European countries that did not agree with the French Revolution. 

Countries like Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain and the Dutch Republic feared that the revolutionary ideas would affect them too. The people of France saw General Napoleon as a hero. 

summarize

1. Why did the Directoire face yet another revolution?
2. Who became the new leader and why did people see him as a hero?
3. Why was the First Coalition War fought?

French revolutionary soldiers in a battle at the First Coalition War. Painting by Horace Vernet (1792).

insert: a young officer named Napoleon Bonaparte

Anonymous French painter

The execution of Louis XVI

congratulations

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